


Lost & Found

by Thedrunkhippy



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 18:49:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14503257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thedrunkhippy/pseuds/Thedrunkhippy
Summary: A short love story between a priest and a Viking.





	Lost & Found

Despite the warmth of Ragnar Lothbrok’s hearth and the jubilant sound of Yol taking place under his roof, it did not quite feel complete without the presence of Athelstan. Ragnar had said he loved him and yet, Athelstan left him. What was her name? Ragnar wondered as the small foreign figure walked through the crowded hall and whispered into Aslaug’s ear. She stood out like a sore thumb, much like Athelstan did. Perhaps, that’s why he felt so drawn to her. She was not just spiritually different, she was visibly different. Unique. It made him miss Athelstan more and just days ago he’d had that vision. The vision which allowed him to show mercy unto Floki. Floki the fool, the genius, the madman, the friend and foe. He’d murdered Athelstan, but Aslaug was right. What did Floki do wrong in the eyes of the gods? Nothing. But in the eyes of Ragnar Lothbrok it was a crime. But his anger toward Floki vanished and his eyes were now transfixed on the figure. The slave girl with the dark hair and dark catlike eyes. The slave girl that was bad at being a slave. How did a slave girl learn to be fluent in so many languages? Ragnar remembered how Athelstan could speak norse and the language of England.

She is not him, Ragnar thought once Aslaug and Yidu vanished to go and care for Ivar. What use did he have for slaves? They were never so loyal as free people who chose to be in your service.

A few days later after Aslaug hissed at him to do as he pleased with Yidu he decided to go and see her. She was trying to do the gods know what with the pigs as she chased after them. “How did you become a slave?” Ragnar asked. And with some force Yidu told him all that she could remember and then Ragnar bid her to follow him. In his secret cabin he told her that she could come and go as she pleased. She did not go and in that moment he loved her more than she could know, he was glad to have a friend again. Someone to trust.

_Athelstan. Athelstan. Athelstan._

But he was not a Christian. Christians did not dance with fire or know magic. What was she? Why had they not raped such a woman?

Is she a witch? She is. Ragnar realized as he fell back in his bed and closed his eyes. When he woke again he was on the back of a wagon of furs. He saw Yidu’s back from where he laid. “Where are we going?” He asked as he sat up. “I’ve got to show you something now that you’ve shown me something yourself.”

Ragnar smirked, but he did not trust her. “What would you like to show me?”

She said nothing, she kept on and they went deeper into the wasteland of ice and snow. The winds grew harsher and the silence colder, but neither said another word until Yidu finally stopped and stepped down from her seat. “Come,” she said and he followed her into the mouth of what looked like a cave. As they entered, Ragnar could see the reflection of a fire on the solid stone walls of the cave. He saw a familiar shadow and nearly lost his balance as that shadow appeared. His face was not all intact, one eye had been patched over, a deep and ugly scar from Floki’s axe had cut deep across his face. Yet, he was living and breathing. “I buried you,” Ragnar said.

“I was not as dead as either of us thought,” Athelstan said.

“And you knew?” Ragnar said as he looked at Yidu.

“Not at first,” she said. “I tried to escape, I did for several weeks and I found him the second day I’d been on the run. I nurtured him back to health and he spoke of a great man. When you told me I could come and go as I pleased I knew that great man was you.”

“I was not expecting you so soon, nor with Ragnar,” Athelstan said.

“Then this must be a pleasant surprise,” Yidu said and sat herself down on the bed at the far end of the room.

“There is only one bed?” Ragnar said.

“We shared it,” Athelstan said. Ragnar gave a small laugh and then breathed in deeply and seemingly charged forward at Athelstan. He held the priest with both his hands and shook him. “Why did you not return?”

“It was clear I was not meant to be with you, Ragnar,” Athelstan said.

“But I told you,” Ragnar said letting go of him. “I love you, Athelstan. I trust no one else above you.”

Athelstan approaches Ragnar and touched the side of his face gently. “I love you too and that is why I stayed away. I ruined your connections, your connection with Floki.”

Ragnar mimicked Athelstan and held the priest’s face. They smiled at each other until finally they realized that Yidu’s presence played as a thick and dark curtain around them, shielding them from all of Norway. Ragnar put his lips on Athelstan’s. The kiss was rough at first because Athelstan had not quite anticipated that Ragnar would actually kiss him. But soon enough Athelstan kissed him back and allowed for the kiss to deepen. If this was a dream Ragnar wished not to wake up.

_Athelstan. Athelstan. Athelstan._

 


End file.
